Courage
by nodaybuttoday317
Summary: Alex runs away from home and paige offers her to live with her.
1. Outta Here Now

Courage

Alex Nunez was considered the badass of Degrassi. She was the type of girl that would skip class and hang out in the ravine all day. Her home life was shitty, living with her mom and her drunken boyfriend who beat them up constantly. That is until Paige Michelchuk came into her life.

Alex and Paige didn't get along at first. For the most part they hated each other. Paige was the queen of Degrassi and Alex was the queen of the trailer park.

"WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T LET THAT DAUGHTER OF YOURS RUN AROUND EVERYWHERE!" I heard Chad scream from the kitchen. They were fighting again, as usual and as usual over something really stupid. I had my duffel bag next to me in case something happened.

"This has nothing to do with Alex, Chad and you know it!" My mom screamed. I heard Chad come out of the kitchen and into the living room. Before I knew it he was standing in front of me and there was not a happy look on his face.

"THIS IS YOUR ENTIRE FAULT!" He raised his hand and it made contact with my face. He picked me up by my shirt and threw me across the room causing me to crash into the table. I got up, unable to say anything. My head was spinning and I knew that if I didn't get out of here fast something worse would happen. I grabbed my duffel bag off the sofa and ran out the door.

"YEAH GO HEAD AND RUN, YOU LITTLE BITCH! JUST LIKE ALWAYS!" I heard Chad say when I was half way down the hall.

I ran out of the building. It was raining out, I started running, I didn't know where to and right now I really don't care.

I ended up at the Dot, sitting at a table with a cup of coffee in my hand. I looked at myself in the napkin dispenser. I had a on the side of my eyebrow and my lip was bleeding. I sighed and looked at my coffee cup. I didn't look up until I heard someone slid into the seat across from me.

"Hey hun" Paige said.

I started to feel butterflies in my stomach. She usually had that effect on me.

"Hey Paige" I said casually.

She reached her across the table touch my lip with a puzzled look on her face. The butterflies went nuts.

"What happened?" She said.

"Chad, he and my mom got into a fight a few hours ago and he blamed it on me."

"So he beat you up?"

I nodded.

"Where are you gonna stay?"

"I'm gonna stay at the Woman's Shelter for a few weeks." I said without looking at her.

"What? No. You're not going back there, you gonna stay with me." Paige said getting up from her seat. I looked up with confusion.

"What about your parents?" I asked.

"They won't mind if I explain why I'm letting you stay there." She grabbed my bag and threw it over her shoulder. She held out her hand and waited for me to take it. I hesitated for a second, but grabbed her hand. She smiled triumphantly knowing she had won.


	2. You and Me

Courage Part 2

The ride to Paige's house was short and quiet. I stared out the window the whole time till I heard her voice.

"So what happened, exactly?" She asked her eyes still on the road.

"Well my mom and Chad got into a fight about the rent and then Chad blamed it on me because he said I didn't have a good enough job, than he comes over to me and punches me and throws me against the kitchen table." I explained. I couldn't look at her cause I was afraid she would see the tears that were about to form, "You know I could take the beating if knowing that one day it will stop."

"It will stop, because now you're with me." She said now looking at me.

I turned and met her gaze, her beautiful blue eyes rested on me. They were filled with so much care and concern.

"Thank you, Paige"

"I'm always here for you." There are the butterflies again.

I smiled and turned back to the window, I realized we were at her house now. Paige was already outside my door.

"Coming?" She said with a smile on her face as she opened the door. I returned the smile and climbed out of her car. I grabbed my duffel from the back seat. She locked the car and held out her hand. I took it without hesitation.

We walked in the door and were greeted by her father.

"Hey Paige, who's this?" He said.

"This is Alex, a friend from school." It sounded like Paige said friend in an odd way or maybe it's just my imagination.

"It's nice to meet you Alex." He held out his hand and I shook it.

"You too" I said.

"Dad, can we talk about something?" Paige said.

"Sure kiddo"

"Alex why don't you go wait upstairs." Paige said. I nodded and headed up the steps and entered her room. I've never been in her room before; it had light blue wallpaper with a white carpet. An Oak dresser stood against the wall on the right and her bed on the left. Her bed was a double queen with a blue comforter and matching sheets. I sat down on her bed and waited.

I could hear some of the conversion going on downstairs.

"Where would she sleep? Dylan's home, remember?" Her dad said. He didn't sound angry, just curious.

"She can just sleep with me." My heart started to pump really fast now. Me and Paige sharing the same bed? Her dad would never say yes to that. On the other hand, Paige and I are just friends so he might say yes.

"Oh thank you Daddy!" I heard her say. A smile stretched across my face.

She came through the door a few seconds later.

"He said yes!" She said.

"That's great!"

"Yeah, but you're gonna have to sleep in here for a few weeks since Dylan is home." She said as she sat down next to me. I realized she was sitting REALLY close to me. Our shoulders were pressed against each others. She smiled at me.

"I'm glad you said yes to staying here, I couldn't let stay at a woman's shelter or go back to your Mom's place."

"I'm glad I said yes too." Her eyes bored into mine. I could see her face getting closer, but just when our lips were about to touch someone knocked on Paige's door. Paige got an irritated look on her face and went to open the door.

"Yes Dylan"

"I heard Alex was staying here for awhile and I was wondering if she wanted to have my room and I could sleep on the couch." The curly blonde haired boy said.

"No thanks Dylan, I'll be fine here, you keep your room." I said.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Positive" I glanced over at Paige; she had a smile on her face. Dylan left and Paige closed the door.

"We should get to bed, it's almost 11." She said. I nodded. She walked to the side of her bed and climbed in. She patted the other side and waited for me. I got under the covers and faced her.

Paige already had her eyes closed but I doubted she was asleep.

"Paige" I said.

"Mhmm?" She said with her eyes still closed.

"What was the real reason you asked me to stay here?"

She opened her eyes, "I already told you." It sounded like she was hiding something.

"I feel like it's not the full reason."

She sighed and sat up. I did too and tried to look in her eyes, she didn't look up, but I swear I saw a tear on her cheek.

"Paige you can tell me." I grabbed her hand. Her fingers tightened around mine.

"So I can spent more time with you, be around you more cause when I'm away from you I feel like it's hard for me to breathe, I don't know what's going on Alex." She said each word carefully, making sure she didn't mess anything up. Could it be true, does she like me back? I lifted her chin and she faced me. I could see tears in her eyes now; I wiped one that fell on her cheek. I leaned in slowly, but hesitated for a second before our lips met. She closed the distance between us. Her lips were soft and tasted like her vanilla lip balm. The kiss lasted for a while until she realized what she was doing.

"Alex…"

"Yeah" My head was still dizzy from that kiss.

"What are we doing?" She said it in a way that wasn't angry, but almost amused.

"I have absolutely no idea." I said. She giggled a little and leaned in once more. We shared our second kiss and this time she ran her fingers through my hair. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her down on the bed. Her hands were on my neck now pulling me closer.

"Paige…" I said when we broke apart.

"Mhmm"

"Please tell me this is not a dream cause if it is I'll be so pissed off."

She laughed and placed a small kiss on my lips.

"Nope not a dream" She said.

"Good"

"I cannot believe I had the courage to tell you all that." Paige said as she snuggled close to me.

"Paige Michelchuk without courage? There's something you know see every day." I said. She playfully slapped my arm.

"Well hate to break the news, but with you all the courage I have is drained out of me."

"Do I really have that effect on people?" I said.

"You do with me" She buried her head in my chest and before knew it she was fast asleep.


End file.
